Nadal ousts fiery Schwartzman to advance to US Open semifinals

Rafael Nadal is off to the US Open semifinals after outlasting Diego Schwartzman 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 in a highly entertaining match at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday.

Nadal took a commanding lead from the jump, racing to a 4-0 advantage on a muggy night in New York. It looked like it could be a one-sided affair, but the diminutive Argentine battled back to level the score at 4-4 before ultimately falling 6-4.

A similar scenario unfolded in the second set as Nadal took a 5-1 lead thanks to some strong baseline play. Schwartzman would mount another charge, winning four straight games to even the set at 5-5 before dropping the frame 7-5.

Things were easier for the 18-time Grand Slam champion in the third, as he pulled away with a 6-2 win to book his place in the next round. Matteo Berrettini awaits on Friday as Nadal continues his bid for a fourth US Open title.

With Grigor Dimitrov and Daniil Medvedev in the other semifinal, Nadal is the only remaining player in the field to have reached a Grand Slam final in his career.